Natasha Alvar
Tomatometer-approved critic
Natasha is a Singapore-based critic and writer. She is the film editor over at Cultured Vultures, and is the resident (self-proclaimed) rom-com expert. Find Natasha @litmysoul
Movies reviews only
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Chang Can Dunk (2023) |
Chang Can Dunk is predictable in some ways. We've seen enough sports movies to know how things pan out for the underdog. But still, Chang's journey is honest and relatable enough that you'll be content to follow along even if you know how it ends. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Mar 15, 2023
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Scream VI (2023) |
...at the end of it all, if you find yourself eagerly looking forward to another entry in the franchise, then the movie has done its job. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Mar 13, 2023
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A Little White Lie (2023) |
Michael Shannon is the kind of actor that could even make the phonebook sound interesting. And while he's good, the movie that surrounds him isn't as much. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Mar 06, 2023
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The Strays (2023) |
Nathaniel Martello-White's debut film delivers something quite potent, and stands out amidst the hum-drum thrillers on Netflix's movie slate. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Feb 27, 2023
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Sharper (2023) |
Benjamin Caron's film is well-structured, with each new chapter teasing us with new information, till we've left with the big picture at the end. And while the conclusion does feel a bit saccharine, it's still a trip worth taking. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Feb 20, 2023
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Seriously Red (2021) |
This movie needed to give us more incentive to care about its characters. All that stands out are the music performances, and Boylan's chemistry with Webber. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Feb 16, 2023
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Your Place or Mine (2023) |
Despite stars like Witherspoon and Kutcher, this Netflix rom-com is missing some much-needed spark. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Feb 14, 2023
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Emily (2022) |
Frances O'Connor's Emily is a visual treat, and will make you feel all the emotions you felt when you read Wuthering Heights for the first time. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Feb 13, 2023
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Magic Mike's Last Dance (2023) |
Magic Mike's Last Dance is more than just a movie with men taking their clothes off and gyrating intensely. It explores so many rich themes with an ease only a director like Steven Soderbergh can pull off. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Feb 13, 2023
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Disquiet (2023) |
Disquiet fails to flesh out its protagonist and story, wanting viewers to care about the fate of a selfish man we know next to nothing about. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Feb 06, 2023
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Maybe I Do (2023) |
Maybe I Do is worth watching just to see actors like Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Diane Keaton and William H. Macy do their thing. You'll find yourself entertained by their charisma and chemistry, but that's about it. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Jan 31, 2023
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Shotgun Wedding (2023) |
Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel's fun chemistry is the main reason why Shotgun Wedding ends up being fairly entertaining. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Jan 23, 2023
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The Drop (2022) |
The Drop drops the ball at every turn, only coming together in the final moments of the film, and by that point the viewer has already checked out. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Jan 16, 2023
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M3GAN (2022) |
M3GAN brings the comedy and the horror, though it incites more laughs and goes a tad easy on the thrills. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Jan 09, 2023
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Something from Tiffany's (2022) |
Deutch and Sampson are absolutely lovely together. All that gazing and eye chemistry is enough to keep screens burning and the viewers invested. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Dec 12, 2022
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Hotel for the Holidays (2022) |
Hotel For The Holidays is trying to do some kind of Love Actually set up, with a bunch of plotlines thrown into the mix, and none really paying off. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Dec 06, 2022
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Darby and the Dead (2022) |
A Deado Good Time - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Dec 05, 2022
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The Noel Diary (2022) |
If you're the kind to shout "humbug!" at any form of schmaltz, then maybe this movie isn't for you. The Noel Diary is kind of sweet and even a little relatable, definitely one of the better Christmas romances you'll find on Netflix. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Dec 03, 2022
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Lady Chatterley's Lover (2022) |
What a gorgeous film. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Nov 29, 2022
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Hunt (2022) |
The movie is a constant pattern of shoot-out, beat-up and tense conversations that escalate to screaming matches. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Nov 29, 2022
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Bones and All (2022) |
Only Luca Guadagnino could serve up something so savage and exquisite - all at the same time. One of the best films of 2022. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Nov 29, 2022
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Christmas With You (2022) |
Even though I'm absolutely excited to see Freddie Prinze Jr. on my screen again, I wish it was in a better movie. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Nov 24, 2022
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She Said (2022) |
Sometimes simple is best. Maria Schrader's She Said is without frills, letting the story and message speak for itself. It's a powerful reminder that good journalism can still have impact. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Nov 23, 2022
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There There (2022) |
While the effort to make a film during the pandemic must be commended, the static images and dull conversations give us nothing to latch on to. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Nov 22, 2022
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The Menu (2022) |
Ralph Fiennes proves no one can best him when it comes to playing villainous characters, delivering a delicious performance we won't soon forget. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Nov 22, 2022
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The People We Hate at the Wedding (2022) |
There's a certain authenticity here, with bickering siblings and nasty antics that feels true to real life. Families aren't perfect, and The People We Hate at the Wedding does capture that. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Nov 21, 2022
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Disenchanted (2022) |
Amy Adams, to her credit, still gives it her all in this sequel to Enchanted. Unfortunately, she's in a film that wastes all her efforts. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Nov 21, 2022
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Falling for Christmas (2022) |
Falling for Christmas may be formulaic, tropey, and very cheesy, but the actors give it their all, and there's a certain sincerity in that. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Nov 14, 2022
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Spirited (2022) |
If you manage to get past the rocky start of Sean Anders' Spirited, then the rest of it is good enough for you to have a jolly good time. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Nov 14, 2022
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Enola Holmes 2 (2022) |
Enola Holmes 2 is a film that's as charming and spirited as its main protagonist. The game is afoot once more, and the story more enjoyable than ever. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Nov 08, 2022
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Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022) |
Daniel Radcliffe is such a movie star. Even when the source material lets him down, his utter commitment to the bit never wavers. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Nov 08, 2022
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Next Exit (2022) |
Parker and Kohli do amazing work in Next Exit, and it is their affecting intimacy that manages to overcome the more saccharine aspects of the script. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Nov 08, 2022
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The Good Nurse (2022) |
It's always a treat to see talented actors strut their stuff, especially two actors at the top of their game. Chastain is typically good, but Redmayne is the scene stealer here, delivering a creepy performance we won't soon forget. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Nov 01, 2022
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Call Jane (2022) |
Even though it wasn't intended as such, Call Jane feels like an empowering call to action. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Oct 31, 2022
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Wendell & Wild (2022) |
The stop-motion artistry of Wendell & Wild is exquisite, but the story leaves much to be desired. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Oct 31, 2022
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Dangerous Game: The Legacy Murders (2022) |
Dangerous Game: The Legacy Murders is an amalgamation of movies that came before, like Saw and Ready Or Not. The movie throws everything at the wall, hoping something sticks, but all we're left with is a mess. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Oct 24, 2022
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Decision to Leave (2022) |
Decision to Leave is utterly enthralling, and a reminder of what a filmmaking force Park Chan-wook is. Easily one of the best films of the year. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Oct 18, 2022
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Rosaline (2022) |
Rosaline makes for fun, casual viewing. Just don't expect much else. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Oct 17, 2022
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Mr. Harrigan's Phone (2022) |
If you're in search of cheap scares, then Mr. Harrigan's Phone is not the film for you. John Lee Hancock's film is a rich exploration of our relationship with technology, and the horrors that sit within the human heart. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Oct 11, 2022
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Luckiest Girl Alive (2022) |
Luckiest Girl Alive is watchable only because of Mila Kunis, who does a stellar job of fleshing out her character. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Oct 10, 2022
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Significant Other (2022) |
Significant Other may seem like one of those typical thrillers, but it's actually rich and thoughtful and takes bold swings. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Oct 10, 2022
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My Best Friend's Exorcism (2022) |
Damon Thomas' My Best Friend's Exorcism transposes the key events of the novel to screen, but fails to build the core relationships in an authentic and compelling way. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Oct 04, 2022
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Blonde (2022) |
Despite all its affecting visuals and stunning camera work, Andrew Dominik's Blonde fails to make an impact because of its obsession with a woman's destruction. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Oct 03, 2022
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The Good House (2021) |
Seeing Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline on screen together again is just magic, and an ardent reminder that we need more stories centered around more mature phases of life. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Sep 28, 2022
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Meet Cute (2022) |
Meet Cute functions as an allegory on modern life and relationships. It's a clever film, with tremendous performances from Cuoco and Davidson. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Sep 26, 2022
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Don't Worry Darling (2022) |
Olivia Wilde's Don't Worry Darling has lush visuals, excellent set design, and amazing performances from Pugh and Pine. Where the film fumbles is in its screenplay and the set-up of a twist that most of us could see coming a mile away. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Sep 26, 2022
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Do Revenge (2022) |
Director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson's Do Revenge is a clever movie that expertly melds familiar teen movie tropes with relevant social commentary. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Sep 19, 2022
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About Fate (2022) |
The tragedy here is that About Fate won't have as much traction as any of those inane Netflix holiday rom-coms, when it's precisely the kind of movie we rom-com lovers deserve. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Sep 13, 2022
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True Things (2021) |
Harry Wootliff's True Things is an utterly engrossing exploration of relationships, sex and loneliness. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Sep 12, 2022
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Love in the Villa (2022) |
Manufactured in the worst way possible, Love in the Villa hopes to capitalize on audience's love for romance and exotic locations without doing any of the necessary legwork. - Cultured Vultures
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| Posted Sep 06, 2022
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